News Article

Final Wii U Form to Be Shown At E3 2012

The Wii U reveal at E3 2011 probably didn't go quite as Nintendo had hoped, with some confusion over exactly what the console is and how it works. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is keen not to make that mistake again though, and has revealed the console will be shown off in its "final format" at next year's E3.

That could mean the machine itself will be altered, or we'll see an official name and some real software for the "new controller", but whatever it is Iwata is determined to show off the console in its best light:

We are also planning to launch the Wii U, which is the successor to the Wii, during the next fiscal year. We would like to show the final format of the Wii U at the E3 show next year. As we learned a bitter lesson with the launch of the Nintendo 3DS, we are trying to take every possible measure so that the Wii U will have a successful launch.

I ain't gonna get excited unless the actual launch games (& not just the hyped-at-e3-but-not-released-soon-if-ever games, 3DS I'm looking at you) fully utilise the capabilities of the console. That means all games fully utilising the new touch screen & pointer control in new ways that work, not just tacted on as a 2nd thought after porting multi-system games.

@Haywired, what I think they should do is what Microsoft did, the original Xbox had two controller verisions, the JP version (smaller), and the international version (the fatty), eventually they released both worldwide, with the smaller one standard, and the fatty, I think if Nintendo did that, a larger version for use as shown in that video, and a smaller one that, while not able to do EVERYTHING the bigger one can, would be cheaper, smaller, easier to handle, and able to perform MOST tasks, that would be the best way to satisfy most consumers

as for the 'Final Format' remarks, the 3DS add-on seems to be pointing at Nintendo standardizing the controls of all their modern platforms, the 3DS add-on will essentially make it a smaller Wii U controller, with two circle pads, the ABXY buttons, D-Pad, two triggers, two shoulder buttons, and then the + and - buttons on the Wii U (Start and Select on the 3DS, but same functions) and of course, the Home button. This would seem to hint that any redesigns Nintendo may make to the Wii U will not be overly drastic, and the final product will most likely be a refined version of what we saw at E3 this year

The fact that he wasn't definitive ("We would like to show the final format ...") suggests to me that they're again racing to get a product finished by a predetermined date. I hope they take as much time as they need to get this right, so early buyers aren't sitting around for months with no games and many promises of features that will be improved or added later. This thing needs to launch without a hitch.

The real reason the launch of the 3DS did not go so well was the lack of quality software. They should have delayed it so they could have given third party developers more time to polish their games while Nintendo could have had more time to roll out their 3DS software updates. They cannot afford to make any more of these mistakes since the Vita is going to come out soon.

WiiU is so far an epic fail IMO, you cant even hope to have a creative image and target a different audience if you are sticking to the previous branding, a hit from the controller could kill you, AFAIK WiiU=PS3x1.5 when a graphically competitive next gen console should be WiiU>PS3x2, also 2012 is premature for next gen. But change that horrible name and I stop ranting

That's interesting, while I will be buying it I do hope that Nintendo change the look of the controller. I hope that they change the overall look of the console. I have a question though, does the Wii U only use the motion plus controller or does it use the normal ones too?

I imagine the changes will make the possibility of four controller compatibility more likely. The only thing I didn't like about what I saw regarding Wii U aside from the name was how only one controller was used at a time. Hopefully that's changed!

I'm happy that this means the Wii U is launching after June. My finances will be severely drained after Vita and all the great 3DS games coming out this year. Hopefully I'll have long enough to save up the money by the Wii U Launch.

Indeed. I'm glad that it's not being released too soon (gives me a chance to catch up with some Wii/DS games that I never got round to). If its "final form" is being shown at E3 2012 then maybe it'll be released Christmas 2012.

Since this pushes Wii U (please change name too) to next September at EARLIEST, I hope Nintendo will toss we Wii owners a frikkin' bone next year before Wii U is out. Like a new game or VC release once in a while. And with a name change, please make New Super Mario Mii not ony official, but also a launch title! That would make it insta-buy for not just me, but countless others. Let's see that you learned from the 3DS launch!

i dont really like this system, its sorta like having the wii with a new controller and better graphics. we are still going to have to use wiimotes and nunchucks sometimes. i think im staying away from this console. 3DS was probably my last nintendo console. i just want to see something totally new, not another wii. all the other game systems(PS3 and Xbox 360) next generation consoles will end up being better like they usually do...

What tosh @ coolvw what exactly have PS3 and Xbox360 done that is better ? Other than being graphical powerhouses if the Wii U is just an updated hardware cycle for Wii then that is still enough as PS3 and Xbox 360 are only updated versions of PS2 and Xbox with better graphics I don't know why different rules apply to Nintendo than the other two. As far as I'm concerned Nintendo is the only company even attempting something different the others just follow once it becomes a success

@wAmbAm true, that is a true statement. I just expect more from nintendo just because they have always brought something new to the table. there has been big differences in past nintendo consoles (N64 to GameCube to Wii) and i was just hoping for something different than the wii (not that i have any problems with it, its one of my favorite consoles). im just tired of missing good titles that only go to systems with HD graphics...

Promising to show it at next years E3 - after already showing it this years at E3 - doesn't give me any reason at all to get excited. It just makes me wonder what is coming out after Zelda: Skyward Sword on the Wii? Can somebody please tell me there is something to look forward to in the spring or summer? I can't think of anything at all, and I've tried.

Nintedno just reported a huge loss: The game maker also confirmed a Japanese report earlier this week that pegged half-year pre-tax losses at over 100 billion yen ($1.3 billion). Pre-tax losses were originally forecast to be 55 billion yen ($725.6 million). I think they needed to release the WiiU before E3 if they wanted to stop the bleeding.

hahahahaha well this isnt the thing that will make nintendo rank up in charts wether you like it or not, graphic power will still dominate, as with physics technology so the consoles will be able to have complex games and the titles with the biggest productions.

Oh yeah, almost forgot. Anybody see the new black uDraw video? The new ones are also available for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Nobody needs a WiiUpad now. (Ok, that a bit of an exaggeration) By the time next years E3 is over I bet everybody already knows about the new black uDraw pads - which seem even cooler on the other consoles - so Nintendo's "newness" factor will be old news. The WiiU is outdated before it's even released. (I still want one though.)

@spookybiftrue. they already entered something risky with the Wii. they shouldnt do more damage now and go for the mean powerhouse machine nintendo needs.seriously. if nintendo can have a powerful thing that will attract third parties plus their franchised charatcers, tis one hell of a winner. kinda a mix of ps3 and nintendo.

ill stick with the 3ds, hoping nintendo wont suffer too much from their mistake and give us great deals on the handheld side. handheld is the future of nintendo.

I think the release of the Wii-U will be next Chrismas but how will they keep the Wii alive until then? expect to read more profit loses for the big N until then. I wonder where the 3DS will be this time next year....

I'm just not feeling this new console. Just feels like a Wii upgrade to me. Ah well, at least it's something new to play around with. Maybe seeing some actual Nintendo franchises running on it will help boost my excitement level.

Well, I've come full circle on this, mostly due to the Marvel Pinball because I'm just such a sucker for that. If I can get a modest trade-in credit for my existing Wii then I'm on-board. I honestly don't care if I get to keep my WiiWare as I'm happy to repurchase the handful of titles still on my machine. The more I look at the iPad the less convinced I am of it being a gaming experience to replace the Wii and it's really a frivolous purchase by comparison.

Besides I've not had a console at launch before so that could be fun, even if I get hit with first-release hardware and software issues.

I'm betting on an early 2013 release myself. The Wii U is being shown in it's final form during next years E3. That's already the middle of the year. I doubt it'll be released just six months later. I smell a delay.

i'm predicting it will come out in either june or july of next year. if it is £250/$250 or under that price range, then that is ideal.

as for the controller, it looked very big so maybe to cut costs they might make it smaller and have 2 of them, instead of just the 1.

circle pads might be replaced by something else, or it could be removed from the final version.

the launch titles have to be an improvement over the 3DS- i'd like the titles to be that super mario mii game, the zelda tech, which becomes a full game, pikmin, tekken, aliens game by SEGA , and maybe a metroid title as well. if that was the line-up to kick off the wii U, that will get people interested in buying the system

-whether or not they change the name, i don't care. i'm not that bothered by that. it's the games and the price that is key to the wii U's success.

im probably gonna skip on this console until they can really convince me... I dont see how this could compete against future next generation consoles from microsoft and sony. Nintendo should make a whole new system run off of the Wii with HD + a Tablet Controller . I will just stick with the wii and 3DS.

They should release the Wii U worldwide in December 2012. People are looking to pay out more in that time, and so a new console looks more acceptable. It would be silly of them to do a repeat 3DS and release out of the holiday. They need to up their launch titles as well, and this thing needs to be tricked out. I've yet to be wowed by the Wii U.

@GamesakeIn the beginning, the only reason the (original) Xbox and PS3 sold at all, was their power. Halo single handedly kept the Xbox alive, just because it was so far beyond what other consoles could do.

Regardless, I don't think those are great comparisons. The Wii has been such a failure with gamers because its lack of graphical power makes it impossible to play games like Assassins Creed, the Elder Scrolls, Grand Theft Auto, etc.. "Graphics" may not be important, but the power of the system still affects how complex games can be and how developers will make games for it.

The Wii U may be capable of playing all the games we're seeing on the 360 and PS3 now, but what's going to happen a year later when Sony and Microsoft reveal they're much more powerful systems? Nintendo are going to be in exactly the same position they are now with the Wii.

I remember that. That video is a nice console to be competing RIGHT NOW, but a year from now? It better be a great launch if they hope to compete. 3DS will have to really carry this holiday season to keep everyone from getting other systems. I can almost see an oversaturation on the horizon and a bit of a crash. What we need now is just better AI in everything, standardized motion tracking, and a more integrated machine alltogether. They better be sure it plays nice with the apple machine coming out then.

I hope things change at the 2012 E3. I don't see any reason to buy a Wii U. It's like the 3DS but worse, having no launch titles and completely no stumping plans for the new hardware (1. I can now play on the console and the TV? Why not make it portable in the first place? 2. Just one big, bulky tablet controller per console? So, how it's going to be used? If it's only to have a botton DS screen on a console, big heap bummer 3. How can i really play with a tablet like that on a game like Zelda or Mario Kart? Impossible? A backwars step form the Wii?)

I hope Nintendo amaze media and us players with new, interesting concepts. As everything looks now, the Wii U is a step backwars from the wii on HD graphics. It's a console i really wanted to like but failed gracefully.

@Highwinter: #64 - My exact sentiments about the WiiU. Consider: WiiU right now will only be approx., not actually, but approx. only 50% more powerful, than current-gen tech console XB360. MS, & Sony's next consoles will probably be at the very least 2x as powerful as their current-gen counterparts. That means that it will only be/is a matter of time, before the WiiU becomes out-classed tech, in the face of more technologically-current console capabilities standards.

You said this best, & I agree: ""Graphics" may not be important, but the power of the system still affects how complex games can be and how developers will make games for it.".

Yes, Sony, & MS have enough financial resources to make very powerful machines, but thanks to the success of the Wii/DS family, now so does Nintendo. If Nintendo wants to march to their own drumbeat, they better be prepared to make full use of their ips, as most co.s will go where there's money. There's a chance that the most profits will go to the more powerful systems, but I could be wrong. Wii was an example of different controller, though less powerful system, getting more profit.

Good news! It's good to see they're taking measures to ensure a successful launch, because I've never been so excited about a console before.

I just hope they keep the current design for the controller, I think it's a wonderful/practical design. (Of course, improvements are always welcome)

I can already imagine RPG games using "hotkeys" just like the MMORPGs, where you can access dozens of skills just by touching their icons on the touchscreen, instead of searching for skills on a boring menu. This would drastically improve the RPG genre on the consoles, and probably exclusively on the Wii U.

I don't know what Sony and Microsoft are planning, but the idea of a touchscreen controller is a winner for me, and in terms of graphics..I could be wrong, but being 50% more powerful than the PS3 should be enough to display high quality graphics and offer excellent gameplay.

All I want is the Wii U to be just like its predecessor and the Wii Fit uses a motion sensing device (similar to X360's Kinect) instead of a balance board which might easily break from overweight players. Also, I forgot to mention the HD improvement they claim will be added.

@1 - Seconded! In a way, E3 2012 will see the unveiling of another Nintendo console - the Wii U could end up being THAT different...

...or the same, either way, I'm happy!

@70 - the HD improvement they have SHOWN. Nintendo have confirmed the Wii U will run at 1080p. Also, I'm quite happy the machine will possibly be delayed - it just gives the 3DS more room to shine (plus it lets me finish my stack of unfinished games...).

Even before the whole 3DS price drop fiasco, I knew what we've seen of the Wii U was prototypical and far from the actual system Nintendo will release a year from now. Here are the changes I expect to see when the system is shown at E3 in 2012:

-The console itself will feature a more striking design that looks less like the original Wii, as is the case with the one we've already seen. Nintendo needs to make it clear that this is a seperate system and will have to create a unique identity for it. My guess is Nintendo will go for a look that's inspired by tablets with a glossy black case that sits horizontally, with rounded edges and LED lights that indicate the touch based power, reset and eject buttons and a lighted disc slot similar to the current Wii.

-The controller screen and the shell will be slightly smaller and more streamlined to appeal to both the tablet croud and traditional gamers. Multiple tablet controllers will be able to be synced to each system as well as all current Wii controllers.

-Nintendo will have an HD New Super Mario Bros. game as the system's flagship launch title. Won't look like the NSMBMii demo seen at E3 2011 but a denser look that takes advantage of the systems graphical capabilities. Sort of how Super Mario World showed off what the SNES could do when it was released.

-It's possible a name change is being considered, or at the very least, the logo will be redesigned. This again would be to help the system create it's own identity.

-Nintendo will emphysize traditional game experiences enhanced by the tablet controller rather than new casual like experiences.

-Mii's will sport the same style they always have but with more customizable options exclusive to the Wii U system.

-Nintendo will focus heavilly on the system's network capabilities and will market it as such.

-The hardware will be noticably more powerful than any other console released but the technology will also be efficient and affordable. Not top of the line but no slouch either basically.

I don't know what it is about system releases but it's my favorite thing to speculate about. I base my predictions on the lessons Nintendo has learned from the 3DS, the current technology trends and Nintendo's history of simplicity and style.